You have to add these broiled teriyaki meatballs to your rotation. They are so quick and easy and the homemade teriyaki sauce that coats them is exploding with savory-sweet, tangy flavor. They are the perfect weeknight dinner or last minute party app.
I can’t stop making (and eating) these quick and easy teriyaki meatballs. They are the perfect appetizer bite, but they are also great for lunch or dinner. The meatballs themselves are seasoned simply with salt and pepper, along with a bit of garlic powder, ground ginger, and soy sauce for an Asian twist. They are broiled to a golden brown and then smothered in an out-of-this-world homemade teriyaki sauce that strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and tangy.
Why You’ll Love This Teriyaki Meatballs Recipe
- Quick and easy. These meatballs are very easy to make and the recipe takes 35 minutes from start to finish. You’ll have dinner on the table in no time.
- Flavorful sauce. The meatballs have a subtle Asian flare to them, but the sauce really brings it home. Somewhere between sweet, savory, and tangy, this homemade teriyaki sauce will have you licking your plate. Make extra if you’d like, and drizzle it over steamed white rice or whatever else your heart desires.
- Customizable. This is a great basic recipe that can be adapted to a variety of taste preferences. Use a different protein, add some spice, or switch up the flavor profile entirely.
What You’ll Need
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect meatball recipe, it’s time to head to the store to grab everything you’ll need. I bet they will make it to your favorites list!
For the meatballs
- Ground beef – I like using 80/20 ground beef but you could use a leaner product if you’d like. Ground chicken or turkey would also work here.
- Egg
- Panko – Do not try to use regular breadcrumbs. The texture and flavor just won’t be the same.
- Soy sauce – I like using low-sodium soy sauce so that I have more control over the flavor of the meatballs. Coconut aminos would also work.
- Seasoning – Salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and ground ginger.
- Scallions – You’ll need the green and white parts.
For the sauce
- Soy sauce – Again, I suggest using low-sodium soy sauce. If you don’t do well with soy, try coconut aminos.
- Water – You will use the water in the body of the sauce and also in a cornstarch slurry that thickens it.
- Seasoning – Ground ginger and garlic powder.
- Honey – Brown sugar would also work.
- Rice vinegar – For a little tang.
- Cornstarch and water – To thicken the sauce.
How To Make Teriyaki Meatballs
With a mix of pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients, you’ll have these savory, glazed meatballs ready in no time. Let’s get into how you can make this crowd-pleaser yourself.
- Prep. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with olive oil.
- Make the meatballs. Mix together the ingredients for the meatballs until well combined and then form the mixture into meatballs.
- Broil. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet and broil for 5 minutes on either side.
- Make the sauce. In a large saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, water, ground ginger, garlic powder, honey, and rice vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk together the cornstarch slurry and then whisk it into the sauce. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, whisking continuously.
- Sauce the meatballs. Transfer the broiled meatballs to the saucepan and coat them in sauce.
- Serve. Serve warm garnished with the greens of the scallions.
Tips & Variations
- Don’t over-handle the meat. When mixing together the ingredients for the meatballs, mix just until everything is incorporated. Similarly, when forming the mixture into balls, don’t over-handle it because you will end up can with tough, dense meatballs.
- Don’t make the meatballs too big. Stick with ~1 1/2-inch meatballs. If they are larger, the outsides will burn before the insides have cooked. If they are smaller, you might find yourself with over-cooked, dry meatballs.
- Make the meatballs the same size. You want to make sure the meatballs are as close to the same size as possible to ensure even cooking. You can use a cookie scoop to guide you if you have one but, otherwise, just do your best to eyeball it.
- Middle rack. Position the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Any higher than that and the meatballs will burn. Any lower and you run the risk of overcooking your meatballs before they brown properly.
- Keep an eye out. The broiler makes quick work of these meatballs, folks. So set a timer and keep an eye on them. Otherwise, they are likely to burn.
- Try a different protein. I used 80/20 beef here but you could use a leaner ground beef or even ground chicken or turkey instead. Ground pork would do the trick as well, as would Impossible Meat.
- Add some spice. Looking for a kick of heat? Try adding some red pepper flakes to the sauce and/or a bit of chili oil to the meat mixture.
- Make it Italian. Swap the sauce out for a classic marinara and replace the soy sauce and ginger in the meatballs with Italian seasoning and a little olive oil for added moisture.
What To Serve With Meatballs
I love serving these bite-sized morsels as finger food at a cocktail party. Skewer each meatball with a toothpick and pass them around! You can also enjoy them as an entree served with a bowl of steamed white rice and maybe some miso soup. If you’re feeling fancy, whip up a batch of my famous Kimchi Fried Rice or this Chicken Fried Rice. These Teriyaki Noodles would be an awesome accompaniment as well. Looking to add some vegetable matter to your plate? You can’t go wrong with a side of these Sesame Snap Peas or my Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad.
Proper Storage
- To store. Once the meatballs have cooled completely, seal them in an airtight container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat. Thaw the meatballs in the fridge (if frozen) before arranging them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until heated through. You can also microwave smaller portions in 30-second intervals until warm.
More Meatball Recipes
There are about a million ways to do meatballs and, while I have been obsessed with this teriyaki-coated rendition, I highly encourage you to check out some (or all) of these other masterpieces.
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Prep. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease it with olive oil or cooking spray.
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Make the meatballs. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, panko, soy sauce, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and the white parts of the scallions. Mix until well combined and then form the meat mixture into meatballs. Each meatball should be about 1½ inches in diameter.
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Broil. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet with an inch between each. Set the baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven and broil for 5 minutes. Flip and broil for an additional 5 minutes.
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Make the sauce. In a large saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, water, ground ginger, garlic powder, honey, and rice vinegar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering sauce. Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until the sauce has thickened.
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Sauce the meatballs. Once the meatballs are done broiling, transfer them to the saucepan with the teriyaki sauce and gently toss the meatballs in the sauce until they are well coated.
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Serve. Serve the teriyaki meatballs garnished with the green parts of the scallions.
- Meatball mixture. Mix the meatball ingredients just until combined and shape them gently to avoid tough meatballs.
- Same size meatballs. Aim for uniform 1 1/2-inch sizes to ensure even cooking.
- Use a different protein. Feel free to switch up the meat; leaner beef, chicken, turkey, pork, or even Impossible Meat works well.
- Add spice. For an extra kick, sprinkle in some red pepper flakes or a dash of chili oil.
- Storage. To store leftovers, seal the meatballs in an airtight container; they’ll keep in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 282 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25 g | Protein: 29 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Trans Fat: 0.4 g | Cholesterol: 111 mg | Sodium: 1631 mg | Potassium: 506 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 18 g | Vitamin A: 121 IU | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 41 mg | Iron: 4 mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
